This invention relates to aqueous cleaning compositions and, more specifically, to aqueous compositions which possess great utility in connection with the cleaning of automotive finish surfaces. While the surface to be cleaned will ordinarily be composed of a polymeric material, e.g., the type of material used for primer, intermediate, or final coats, the novel composition of this invention will also clean bare metal surfaces. It is anticipated that the invention will be particularly valuable for use in automobile refinish shops, i.e., for cleaning an automobile or other vehicle prior to repair and/or repainting.
Automobile refinish shops have for many years utilized special cleaning fluids formulated to remove residual wax, tar, sanding dust, and overall grime from the surfaces upon which work is being performed. Although such cleaning fluids have proven to be effective for most types of residue, they have the distinct disadvantage of being composed predominantly of organic solvents. In an era of increasingly stringent solvent emission regulations, solvent-based cleaners present a potential problem. It is estimated that approximately forty percent of the effluent in refinish shops is due not to the paint itself, but rather to the cleaning fluid employed. Conventional solvent-based cleaning fluids have the additional disadvantage of being unable to readily remove water-soluble dirt, e.g., tree sap and bird droppings, from automotive surfaces.
For the aforementioned reasons, there exists a felt need for a cleaning fluid which not only will facilitate compliance with both current and proposed air pollution standards, but also will remove both solvent-soluble and water-soluble dirt from automotive surfaces.